In 2006 a phenomenon called Colony Collapse Disorder (CCD) emerged. Beekeepers and scientists noticed that large numbers of adult honey bees were leaving their hives and failing to return, which had large implications for farmers and growers who use honey bees as pollinators.

To this day, scientists are unable to identify any single cause for this phenomenon. Instead, a long list of possible causes includes pesticide residues, habitat loss, pathogens, parasitic mites, diseases, pollution, and viruses.